verb + noun + ON YOU
PUT PRESSURE
HAVE MERCY
PLAYING TRICKS
verb + noun + ON YOU Read More »
In this post, we are looking at more advanced uses of the ‘preposition + article + noun phrase‘ structure. For example: I just came on the spur of the moment. listen I was just in the mood for a little conversation. Even Money My life has been extraordinarily blessed with marriage and children and certainly interesting work to do, whether it be at the University of Sydney Law School, where I served a term as dean, or now as I sit on the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in Geneva. TED Someone‘s in a mood. listen Your mother will be over the
preposition + article + noun Read More »
A phrase is a group of words that functions as a unit in a sentence. A phrase can have different types depending on the word that heads it. A phrase that includes the word order lexical verb + article + noun + preposition is called a verb phrase. A lexical verb is a verb that has meaning by itself, such as run, eat, or sleep. An article is a word that modifies a noun, such as the, a, or an. A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence, such as in, on, or to.
lexical verb + article + noun (+ prepositon) Read More »
One could argue that being able to front the following ‘indefinite’ time phrases shows evidence of a higher CEFR level. A search in iWeb corpus for: . _II _NNT2 , 1 . AT TIMES, 11672 C1 → C2 She still misses him at times, but we all do. listen Kit accused me of only being along for the ride while at times I wished he‘d fall in the river and drown, so I could watch. At times, I actually like it. listen 2 . WITHIN
prepositon + plural time Read More »
At A2 level in the English Vocabulary Profile, the adjective ‘own’ is used with a possessive to emphasize ownership or belonging. This usage is common in advanced phrases, sometimes in C1 adverbial phrases describing the manner in which something is done. ‘Own’ can also function as a pronoun, referring back to a noun phrase. Additionally, ‘own’ can mean ‘alone’ at B1 level.
Examples of usage include sentences like “The least you could do is allow me to live here in my own way,” emphasizing personal ownership, and “Feel free to use our pool, but use it at your own risk,” indicating individual responsibility. Moreover, phrases like “on their own” and “of their own” are frequently used to express independence and ownership.
Furthermore, ‘own’ can be part of idiomatic expressions such as “mind your own business,” which means to tell someone in a rude way not to inquire about something private.
possessive determiner + OWN Read More »
In the English Vocabulary Profile, on the threshold of sth = C2 at the start of a new and important time or development be on the verge of sth/doing sth = C2 to be going to happen or to do something very soon Here are the top 20 collocations of ‘on the verge of‘ in
on the + ( verge | threshold ) + of Read More »
We‘re keeping an open mind about the causes of the fire. listen A search in NOW corpus for: _VV _AT _JJ _NN _RP *note that particles and prepositions are sometimes incorrectly tagged. 1 TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT 761 (C1) You didn’t take the easy way out. listen 2 VISITED THE RIVAL NATION IN 734 3 TAKING THE EASY WAY OUT 465 4 KEEP
lexical verb + article + adjective + noun + particle | preposition Read More »
At C2 in the English Vocabulary Profile: work out = to understand something or to find the answer to something by thinking about it A search in NOW corpus for which ‘question words’ follow phrasal verbs: work out _*Q 1 WORK OUT HOW 12286 Just give us five minutes, Mr Poirot, and I‘m sure we‘ll be able to work out how you did it. listen 2 WORK OUT WHAT: I
phrasal verb + clause ‘work out how you did it’ Read More »
In this post, we give examples of 7 different ways the noun ‘world‘ is used in English. In the English Vocabulary Profile at A2: your world = your life and experiences A search in NOW corpus for: _APPGE world 1 OUR WORLD 67437 This may be literally our planet. 2 THEIR WORLD 33865 Note that ‘their’
Here is a list from an iWeb corpus search for complex phrases tagged with: _*31 _*32 _*33 1 AS WELL AS 3933159 (complex prepositional phrase) This is also known as the as as stucture. I‘m gonna prescribe a regimen of vitamins as well as the mineral zinc, it‘ll build up your immune system. listen 2 IN ADDITION TO 1012418 (complex prepositional phrase) In addition to Naomi and my two perfect kids, I own a mansion, private jet, six cars, three horses, two vacation homes and a one hundred and seventy-foot yacht. listen 3 IN TERMS OF
3 part complex phrases Read More »
A1 point 9 in the category of DETERMINERS is defined:
possessive determiners ‘my’, ‘your’, ‘his’, ‘her’ and ‘our’ before nouns.
my | your | his | her | our + NOUN Read More »
There are complex combinations of grammar structures that are not found in the English Grammar Profile. The following is a combination of an ‘adverb in mid position’ but the fact that it is an infinitive + past participle + a prepositional phrase combination should list it at around C1. A search in iWeb for: to
To be + adverb + past participle + preposition Read More »
This is an example of modality in a question:
NEED I GO ON?
It could be asked with the meaning: I don’t need to keep talking about this.
NEED I SAY MORE? (modality question) Read More »
This passage discusses the use of “a lot” and “much” as subject pronouns in English. It provides examples of how these words are used in sentences, as well as the frequency with which they appear in the iWeb corpus. The passage also discusses the C1 and C2 levels of these words in the EGP and EVP.
A LOT | MUCH (subject pronouns) Read More »
Here are some examples of how the present simple tense is used in planning a future event that is also on a regular schedule or timetable.
Tell me about our date.
Well, how about dinner and this movie that BEGINS at 7 pm.
Tonight? I thought it IS on Saturday.
present simple (future) Read More »
B1 Point 4 in the category of discourse markers is defined: in writing ORGANISING – range of phrases to introduce contrasting statements. The English Grammar Profile uses two examples, both of which clash against the English Vocabulary Profile: *’on the (other|one) hand’. ‘On the contrary’ We have accidentally double posted this topic. The other page
On the + contrary | other hand | one hand Read More »
come up with.
look out for.
watch out for.
PHRASAL PREPOSITIONAL VERBS (STRANDED PREPOSITION) Read More »
Here are examples of ‘so long as’ and ‘on condition that’ meaning ‘only if’: So long as they keep to themselves, it makes no difference to me. Listen The house and grounds are left to the city of Gotham on condition that they never be demolished, altered or otherwise interfered with. Listen Here’s an example of ‘in the event that’ meaning ‘should something happen’: I’m here to protect you in the event that someone tries to access your mind through your dreams. Listen The English Grammar Profile C2 Point 122 in CLAUSES/conditional is defined as:
(complex conjunctions) so long as | on condition that | in the event that Read More »
B2 English Grammar Profile point 51 in the category of VERBS/prepositional is defined as: adverb between the verb and the preposition For example: George says the piston’s going to go right through the block any minute now. listen Alex, maybe if everything goes well with the paintings, Victor and I will tour and we could visit you in New York. listen An iWeb search for _VV *ly_R _II 1 GO DIRECTLY TO 17903 We‘re gonna go directly to the airport and get a plane. listen 2 BASED SOLELY ON 13229 We can’t work based solely on rumour, can we?
VERB + ADVERB + PREPOSITION ‘go directly to’ Read More »
There are 9 similar points across the English Grammar Profile in the category of VERBS covering phrasal verbs across the levels. And the differentiation between the levels becomes difficult to interpret since it is more about the vocabulary. For this reason, the English Vocabulary Profile is probably more beneficial even though the logic of what